Hello! My name is Celeste, and I’m the site coordinator for Duke Engage: Durham this summer! I love being in Durham again. After I graduated from Duke, I moved to Baltimore, Maryland to work for a couple of years, and then I moved to Boston, Massachusetts. I always love a new adventure, but aside from my hometown, Durham has been the only other place to feel like home. When I first drove into Durham for the summer, I felt that sense of relief that can only be felt when you come back to a place you love…although I must admit, with all of the new developments, I also felt a bit lost at first! I had to re-acclimate to the city again. I’ve enjoyed exploring some of these new developments. Just this weekend, I went to the 21c museum hotel downtown and loved it. I found the art on the second floor to be fun, funky, and thought provoking.
What really makes me love Durham is the people and the conversations that I’ve been able to have in this city. After exploring the 21c museum hotel, my friend and I walked outside and met a woman who asked for directions to the local Juneteenth celebration. What started as a conversation about directions actually turned into a one hour discussion about the history of race relations in Durham. This woman was originally from California, but has lived in Durham for many years. She knew a lot about the history in Durham. She told us that she makes an effort to support minority- owned locally owned businesses. She told us about some of these businesses and restaurants, recounting her favorite menu items and stories from her times there. She was also curious about the experiences of my friend and me in Durham. We talked freely with this woman until we found someone who directed her to the Juneteenth celebration.
I also had some great conversations while volunteering with the Mobile Market on Saturday. The Mobile Market provides free food to people in the community who need it. I met one man who has worked with the Mobile Market since the day it started. He talked about how numerous churches came together to participate in this Mobile Market. He enjoyed the opportunities to connect with people from the other congregations and to meet new people. He also talked about what a big impact the Mobile Market has had in the community. During one of the winter months, there was snow and ice on the ground on the day of the Mobile Market. Even though the weather conditions were less than favorable, several people lined up outside the church in order to receive food from the market.
It was through casual, unplanned conversations like the ones above that I learned more about the Durham community and that I found my Durham family. This family consisted of friends from school, community members, Duke staff, etc. For instance, as a student, I worked at the Writing Studio and developed a strong bond with one of the staff members. She and I would talk for hours. She was getting ready to be a grandmother, and I marveled at the ultra sound pictures with her and helped her pick out baby clothes. She also celebrated my successes and helped me get past my failures. Our friendship lasted years after I graduated, and we still text on occasion. I also babysat for a couple of families while I was a student and learned so much from not only the adults, but the kids that I was babysitting-- for example, I learned a little about the local school system. I developed bonds with these families, and they too became important people in my life.
I am now enjoying getting to know the students who are participating in Duke Engage-- I am enjoying our conversations and reflections and look forward to the next several weeks together! I hope to continue engaging in new, exciting, and thought- provoking conversations. As the American author, Edith Wharton once said, “Ah, good conversation—there’s nothing like it, is there? The air of ideas is the only air worth breathing.”
What really makes me love Durham is the people and the conversations that I’ve been able to have in this city. After exploring the 21c museum hotel, my friend and I walked outside and met a woman who asked for directions to the local Juneteenth celebration. What started as a conversation about directions actually turned into a one hour discussion about the history of race relations in Durham. This woman was originally from California, but has lived in Durham for many years. She knew a lot about the history in Durham. She told us that she makes an effort to support minority- owned locally owned businesses. She told us about some of these businesses and restaurants, recounting her favorite menu items and stories from her times there. She was also curious about the experiences of my friend and me in Durham. We talked freely with this woman until we found someone who directed her to the Juneteenth celebration.
I also had some great conversations while volunteering with the Mobile Market on Saturday. The Mobile Market provides free food to people in the community who need it. I met one man who has worked with the Mobile Market since the day it started. He talked about how numerous churches came together to participate in this Mobile Market. He enjoyed the opportunities to connect with people from the other congregations and to meet new people. He also talked about what a big impact the Mobile Market has had in the community. During one of the winter months, there was snow and ice on the ground on the day of the Mobile Market. Even though the weather conditions were less than favorable, several people lined up outside the church in order to receive food from the market.
It was through casual, unplanned conversations like the ones above that I learned more about the Durham community and that I found my Durham family. This family consisted of friends from school, community members, Duke staff, etc. For instance, as a student, I worked at the Writing Studio and developed a strong bond with one of the staff members. She and I would talk for hours. She was getting ready to be a grandmother, and I marveled at the ultra sound pictures with her and helped her pick out baby clothes. She also celebrated my successes and helped me get past my failures. Our friendship lasted years after I graduated, and we still text on occasion. I also babysat for a couple of families while I was a student and learned so much from not only the adults, but the kids that I was babysitting-- for example, I learned a little about the local school system. I developed bonds with these families, and they too became important people in my life.
I am now enjoying getting to know the students who are participating in Duke Engage-- I am enjoying our conversations and reflections and look forward to the next several weeks together! I hope to continue engaging in new, exciting, and thought- provoking conversations. As the American author, Edith Wharton once said, “Ah, good conversation—there’s nothing like it, is there? The air of ideas is the only air worth breathing.”